Student Dawiyd Corbbins, from left, Beth Elder, business manager, and George Elder, president and executive producer, Luminair Communications & Entertainment Inc. Luminair produced the short film shown at the event.

PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen J. Serio

Morgan Brock, founder, FBC Manufacturing Inc., which makes washcloths with pockets for bars of soap. Ms. Brock, now a freshman at Purdue University, founded the company with help from NFTE.

NFTE students got the best seats in the house — bleachers on stage — for the Q&A with Sam Zell and Andrew Mason, moderated by Mellody Hobson.

PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen J. Serio

Mellody Hobson, Sam Zell and Andrew Mason recalled their experiences as entrepreneurs. A young Mr. Mason stole raspberries from a neighbor’s yard, baked them into muffins and peddled them door to door. “They were awful,” he said. “Nobody bought them.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Stephen J. Serio

Ryan Lewis, founder of beverage company Jeff Dranks, explains his business model to guests at the NFTE cocktail party. His lemonade recipe comes from his grandmother.

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Since 1989, Crain's has introduced you to trailblazers and wavemakers. But as this timeline shows, many also represent crucial moments in Chicago history—and went on to make history themselves.
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